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By Linda Hutchinson-Jafar

PORT OF SPAIN, June 16 (Reuters) - The police commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago has written to FIFA requesting information on possible criminal activity which may have taken place in the Caribbean country.

A statement from the police’s public affairs unit on Thursday said the letter from police chief Dwayne Gibbs to soccer’s global governing body was a first step to seeing if an investigation was required into the allegations of bribery in Caribbean soccer.

The allegations have led to the suspension of Caribbean soccer chief Jack Warner and two staff members of the Caribbean Football Union—all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

“Please be informed that the Commissioner of Police has dispatched a letter to the Federation International of Football Association (FIFA) requesting information they have that may assist the TTPS (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service) into commencing any investigation/s into any alleged criminal activity within our jurisdiction,” read the statement.

The statement did not explain what information Gibbs was seeking but his letter to FIFA comes after opposition leader Keith Rowley criticised the police to investigate whether money was brought into the country without being declared.

FIFA are currently investigating a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union which was held in Port of Spain on May 10-11 with Asian soccer chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.

After the meeting between the Qatari, who was at that time running against Sepp Blatter for FIFA president, some federations say they received cash gifts of $40,000 in brown envelopes.

Suriname and Puerto Rico have confirmed receiving the cash, the Bahamas has said it turned down the offer of money while others, including federations from Barbados and Jamaica, have denied receiving or being offered any such payments.

Warner, who is also Minister of Works and Transport in the Trinidad and Tobago government, and Bin Hammam have both denied any wrongdoing.

The opposition People’s National Movement has been calling for an investigation to determine whether there were possible breaches of laws which prohibit the importation of money to the country.

Large sums of cash can only be brought into Trinidad and Tobago with the permission of the Central Bank and on arrival any amount over $780 has to be declared on customs forms. (Writing and additional reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Labels: allegations, information, police, Reuters, Trinidad

HELSINKI (AP)—Finnish police say they are holding five players and one other person suspected of being involved in match fixing in top-division games.

The National Bureau of Investigation says the players are suspected of taking bribes to fix matches in Finland last year.

A police statement Friday said they also were holding a Singapore citizen arrested with false identification papers on Feb. 25. He is suspected of “paying players to fix match results,” it said.

Police did not name the suspects and declined to give further details.

Labels: Finnish, Launch, matchfixing, police, probe

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)—Police say several people have been injured in overnight clashes between football fans and police after the Sofia derby between archrivals CSKA and Levski.

Sofia police chief Valeri Yordanov said Sunday that 16 police officers were among those injured. Several buses and trolleys have been damaged and many shop and car windows smashed.

Riot police had stormed the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium at halftime of the derby and forced 3,500 CSKA fans to leave after crowd trouble had marred the game. CSKA won 3-1.

Sofia deputy mayor Ivan Sotirov said 27 fans had been detained for hooliganism. He added that city officials were considering scheduling all future football games in daylight to reduce violence.

Labels: Bulgarian, clash, Football, police